Hotel Balcon de Europa

We have just return from Hotel Balcon de Europa........We have been too many fine hotels........But this one by far the best we have been to in Spain....Very clean, nice staff......Good breakfast .......Wonder position right on the beach with great sea veiw .........But they must sort out the car parkimg...... it cost us £70 for 7 days............But do-not let this put you off................its very good indeed..............Rees ......Cleveleys Lancashire England.........

We spent 2 nights here with an ocean view. Wonderful hotel in a great location – right on the beach. We did not eat at the hotel restaurant. There are many places within an easy walk. Hotel is a bit of a problem to find, but it is well worth it. I would definitely go back.

For a first class location and beautifully maintained hotel it would be hard to beat the Hotel Balcon de Europa. The rooms are of a good size, air conditioned and very clean. Breakfast was excellent with an extensive variety of hot and cold dishes, bread and pastries, cereals and juices all served in the dining room open to the view directly over the private beach (get a table next to the open full-length windows). The informal bar area outside the 6th floor (the entrance to the hotel) is excellent for a drink or a snack whilst watching the action on the Balcon (the main square).Overall the Hotel well deserves its 4 star rating with one minor irritation that it has only one lift and with ten floors this can be busy - but you are on holiday so what is time. The location of the hotel could hardly be better right in the middle of things but quiet internally. The buzz around the Balcon de Europa in the evenings is electric but without the drunks - mainly families many of which are Spanish. Indeed it is quite remarkable that about half of the holiday makers are Spanish. I will post separately regarding eating places but look out for El Encanto on Calle Pintada an Andalusian restaurant about 100 metres from the hotel and Nido on Calle Malaga about 500 metres away - both recommended very highly.

Having stayed at the hotel twice, I can vouch that the sea views and side sea views are excellent. Infact, I've attached a few photos with this review so you can see for yourself. We stayed at the hotel in late winter and the weather was pleasant with just enough people around to give the place atmosphere without the summer overcrowding. The beach fronting the hotel is pretty private but small (it doesn't actually belong to the hotel; it's just hard for non hotel guests to get to). The pool is tiny but heated - it's more for a quick dip than a swim. The food is alright but nothing to write home about. Amenities are pretty minimal as the hotel sells itself on its location. The promenade "Balcon de Europa" is in front of the hotel and really is quite a delight. Watch out for the underground car park though! As a previous reviewer says, it's an absolute nightmare. Take your advanced driving test before trying it. I got wedged up against one of the supporting pilars in the car and damaged the whole left hand side of the car. Whoops! I wasn't the first and I won't be the last.

This hotel is great. Its location is perfect. The staff are really friendly and helpful. The hotel is very clean and well-kept. The room was of a good size and the balcony overlooking the sea (and so close to it) is brilliant. The room was nicely decorated, a good bathroom and always thoroughly cleaned by the staff each and every day. The position of the hotel is perfect. The hotel has its own beach in a cove-type area. This is good as it appears that only hotel residents can use it. The hotel’s pool is very small and is not for swimming, but is good for a quick dip and to cool-off from the sun. There is a table tennis table. The breakfast is brilliant. Choices galore. Cereal, croissants, all types of bread, pastries, fruit, yoghurt, scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, beans, smoked salmon, etc. It sets you up for the day and is great. The hotel does not have the myriad facilities of other Costa del Sol hotels - but it is perfect for adults and couples. At night the Balcon de Europa is a hive of activity. There are pavement artists/cartoonists and street artists. There are numerous restaurants very nearby with most very well priced and to suit almost every taste and cuisine (Italian, Chinese, Mexian, Spanish, Tapas, Seafood, Meat, Snacks, etc). There are also quite a few ice cream stalls and shops. The area is nice and relaxing. One small factor to bear in mind is that the hotel does charge for sunbeds by the beach (but free on the pool terrace) and for the room safe and minibar. However, in my opinion the quality of service, good breakfast (there are so many places to choose to eat nearby that I would not consider half-board), location and thoughtful and friendly staff make this a real gem. There are not many hotels which I would choose to return to – but this one I most certainly will.

The best balcony rooms are the not the ones facing the sea ( the sea is the same everywhere). The side balconies (facing the Balcon - promenade to you or me ) provides endless free entertainment until the early hours. Street entertainers and people watching-the Spanish doing their paseo. The underground car park is not for the nervous driver as negotiating it is tricky especially in an unfamiliar (hired) car. If you just want toget from Malaga airport and back (and if you want to do a lot of driving about why stay in this relatively expensive hotel in the first place) then take a taxi. I understand that there is a nearby free municipal car park. But because we arranged the hotel and flights via the internet (Alpharooms/Monarch airways) we didn't find out the 'form' from the courier as other guests had so we coughed up the 8 euros a day. There is no 'bar' as such that you can hang in till the early hours. The barman is not user friendly (well, surly actually) and directs you to the outside waiter service which is excellent and acceptible because of the position. But part of the buzz from staying in a 5 star hotel is hanging in the bar till 2 or 3 in the morning meeting new people, so forget that. Everything is extra:- room safe, key to minibar, sauna, beach towels, Finally, don't go near the water in southern Spain as all the beaches are 'black' which means that the quality of water reflects tha fact that the sewage is pumped direct into the ocean. The best restaurant is the Pata Negra in Marina Square...no discussion.

We have just returned from Nerja after a 7 night half board stay at this hotel. We love the position of the hotel as it is in the heart of the town centre and overlooks the sea. However, the dinner in the evenings proved to be the let down of this delightful hotel. When we booked our holiday the brochure promised a four star hotel,but we feel that with the poor quality of the evening meals this should be down-graded to three star. The dinners were lukewarm on most occasions, they were uninteresting and lacking in quantity and quality. Most disappointing. The breakfasts however, were plentiful and were quite acceptable. We shall return to this hotel but next time we think bed and breakfast would be a better option.

My husband & I wanted a 5 day break and chose this hotel as we'd been to Nerja with our children before and thought it looked nice. We made a good choice. I had read reviews of this hotel on this site and took the advice given by many to upgrade to a seaview/balcony room. We had a balcony facing the sea with the Balcon to our left, perfect view but not noisy at all. The breakfast was good quality with plenty of choice, the staff were very friendly and bar service good. The hotel occupies an excellent position in Nerja, very central with everything within a 10 minute walk. We didn't eat dinner at the hotel as Nerja has some very good restaurants, we particularly enjoyed Carabeo 24 and El Candil but a special mention to Bella Italia for an extremely well priced meal. The hotel itself has direct access to a small beach, which has a nice snack type bar for lunch. There is a very small pool with a large sunbathing patio and whilst there, I enjoyed a massage from the masseur who comes in. If you hire your own car, you can park in the underground car park close by, but then tell the hotel, who will, if there's space available, let you park your car in their area, which will cost you 8 Euros a day. You'll get secure parking with a remote control to access their section. I would fully recommend this hotel and Nerja itself for a peaceful break away. It's not the best place for clubbers as it's a bit more traditional but it's ideal for those looking for good restaurants, shops and nice beaches.

this year will be our 5th return to this hotel,,, its so relaxing , friendly , great breakfasts,,, and so clean.... keep thinking of trying somewhere new , but carnt seem to find anything to compare ,,, the towns shops are on your doorstep ,, cafes , resturants,and night life ,balcon view is excellent , nothing to say bad about this place , it has everything to make a happy holiday...

I'd say the Hotel Balcon de Europa was good, but not great. As far as facilities, service and food go, it's really a 3-star; I guess it gets its fourth star because of its location, above a more-or-less private beach and lounger terrace - the most pleasant spot we found in Nerja, and very enjoyable in hot, sunny weather like we had. (NB: spring tides at this time of year (April) mean that the hotel's beach is very small - there's apparently much more of it in the summer.) The hotel breakfast was adequate, but not as good as the fresh coffee and croissants available at some of the pavement cafes. We recommend: the daytime meals at the hotel's bar/restaurant on the beach, and for good evening meals: Meson Antonio and The Old Cellar. Nerja falls halfway between being an old Spanish town and a resort. One brochure said 'it retains a certain charm' and that's about fair. Sadly, it's quite spoiled by the shops and cafes catering for tourists seeking hamburger and chips. If you're after more authentic, unspoiled Andalucia, I guess you're better advised to head inland. But for a short break in the sun, it was good.